I select "cold wash cycles" on my washing machine then I add the softener+rinse+spin then 15 min in tumble dryer (wrap your chain in a cloth otherwise is noisy) and the chain looks brand new.
After backpedaling, check the chainrings, cassette and pullywheels for lube residue and remove with a cloth. Otherwise it might attract dirt and you still have sandpaper on the bike
I'm a poor guy and a bit autistic, and I don't have a rug or cloth (who would want to put dirty oil on a clean piece of cloth anyway) - so I use just paper from the daily newspaper to remove the excess lubricant. It should be that matte paper, which can absorb some oil, not that shiny color magazine paper - also makes for some quality reading while you are cleaning your chain!
Scientist says that the healthy black tar soaks in all excess moisture and lube. After a while when the chain lube runs out this excess lube and moisture is recoated again on the chain making it last so much longer. You can see it in action as the chain gets black by all premium oil.
SAE 80 gear box oil from an oil can, and if needed, white spirit to clean it, which is rarely, as gear box oil does not attract dirt. You do get some spray onto the back wheel, but I'm not arsed, I just want my chain to last, with the minimum of maintenance. Seems to have worked for the past 50 years or so.
Same :) As a mechanic, have dozens of 0.5-0.75 used chains & cassettes. For second life too :D 1L bottle for 13$ is for years. Chain not shine, is dirty but that's don't bozer me :) Shop sends me 15ml demo Squirt for 3$, 1L = 200$ and hours of waxing, properly waxing in bath
Hi If you decide to lubricate each roller of the chain, before you wipe the extra lube from the chain,wait a couple hours to give the lube the time to penetrate into the rollers.
Really? How could it take a couple of hours to penetrate into the rollers? I'm guessing that happens pretty much instantly. You have a very runny liquid that has to flow about 2 millimeters to its target.
@@sfdint You are correct,the oil penetrates pretty fast.Once the oil has penetrated inside it takes a while for the compound/molecules of high quality oil to stick to rollers,etc.etc. I have talked to a technician here in Italy that works on bike racing motor/trany.Bases on the tests they have done,before they run an engine they first turn the engine with a device with out starting it, in order for the oil to lubricate everything. They wait couple hours,then the fire the engine. They never put the oil in and fire the engine even at low revolution. He said: If you do you are asking for trouble. He told me about waiting couple hours,before,i lubed the chain, wipe away i go if i needed to go out. Now with this new procedure,i clean the chain every 250/300 km.lube, wait 2 hours,wipe the chain clean,ready to go. I get about from 5000/7000 km out of a chain with in the specifications of 0.75mm
I'm a volunteer bike mechanic and so many bikes have their drivetrains caked with dirt. I'm guessing most people just load on the lube and call it a day. At least I get some satisfaction scraping off the thick greasy dirt from the jockey wheels. I tell people exactly what you said in these videos, and show them too.
If you have to do this as a job, for more than a few days a fortnight, it gets pretty tedious and disgusting, I can tell you (having done it for 20+ years I have some {disgusting} skin in the game).
I have been using a 50% strength of Simple Green. It works, smells decent, and doesn't destroy anything. I have also changed to a Wax Water chain lube. The chain is nice and quiet and does not pick up much sand or grit. I live in Florida; it is wet and sandy especially in the summer. So far so good with the new lube.
one of your sponsors shows me a completely different way of applying the lube on their channel (i.e. silca) so i guess that’s good proof you don’t just do what Josh tells you … lol. but i think that way is beter after trying it recently
My go to lubricant for chains is heavy duty motor oil. Most motorcycle companies have it listed as the preferred chain lubricant, sure it's mainly because its kind on the o-rings but you can also just split it into a few different sized bottles and droppers and then use it for everything, even the cleaning. Sure, you get the oil all over the place and need to have the soap ready to go, but it penetrates easily and gets to all the right places, as you use more and more it lifts all the dirt and grime out faster than you think it has any right to and all you need to do after proper cleaning is hang it up for a while, fit and wipe. I always used proper chain cleaners and what i thought were good lubricants, until i ran out of lubricant after i had used the chain cleaner and instead used the oil from my old car that i have been using for the chain on my Yamaha as it suggests in the service manual... i could not believe how much crap came out into the oil after i had used my $47 chain cleaner... I never went back and because i have 3 vehicles and 2 mowers, i never run out either.
I lubricate my chains a drop per roller, and I typically wait about a minute per horizontal chain section between chainring and the cog, before advancing the next section, to let the lube penetrate inside rollers, so as little as possible ends up on drivetrain teeth. I also preheat bottle of lube in a cup of hot water, so it runs a bit thinner and penetrates the rollers a bit faster.
@@benedictearlson9044 Thanks, but I'm not quite sure that I understand, are we talking about deliberately cross chaining to open the links of the chain, or using the tighter radius of the small cogs to cause the chain to "bend" further than it would on a larger radius?
This point may have been made - winter, road salt and sparing lube application to inside of chain can lead to rusty chain. During winter I apply a bit more coating on the chain during winter to avoid this - and clean & dry and lube the chain more regularly
Money and time saving hacks: spray on GT85 being careful not to get any on the brake rotor, leave for 2 minutes, jet wash off (your chain will look like new!), re-lube with a good 2-stroke engine oil (at least 10x cheaper than any 'chain lube' and probably better), as it is so cheap you don't have to waste time putting a tiny drop on each joint, just rotate the cranks and squeeze it on (I simply refill an old chain lube bottle), wrap some kitchen roll round the chain and rotate again to wipe off any excess. 👍
I'm a qualified Maintenance engineer, more importantly I hate un-necessary work. I've been installing, replacing and maintaining chains for 35 yrs for money. I've got 3 bicycles and 3 motorcycles. The pins, bushes and rollers wear most in that order. Wax is a crap lube, it has very little shear strength under load and does not wick back unless heat caused by friction damage melts it. Primary drive chains in engines last for 100's of thousands of miles because they have constant clean lube, the more you clean and lube it the longer it will last. Spending $200 on lube and cleaner to make a $50 chain last 2x longer is mathematically 2x more stupid than necessary.
I spend about $8.00 on lube for the price of a chain that costs $35. It's not about the cost only, but about the ride feel and no squeaking noises in addition to less friction.
@@markconnelly1806 Soluble oil for machining is interesting - it's designed to work under the harshest load - cutting steel - but washes off completely and easily with a hose. Leaves everything on the chain side sparkling clean.
@@prophetzarquon I used to use it with a Scottoiler for bicycles (constant lube system) so rain wasn't an issue. Never had such a consistently clean drive train since.
Wax does not pick up dirt and allows my chain to last forever. Bicycle chains don't get that hot so there is no need for the only semi molten wax to wick anywhere.
Huh, I just did what seemed logical and you just validated my methodology. I use a hardware store grill cleaning spray with the chain off the bike and then I've sworn by T-9 Boeshield for decades - happy riding!
Great advice - 1 addition: I use thinner chain oils for dry riding, and thicker for when I know it's going to be raining or I'll be going through areas that are wet.
I watched a video on TH-cam where the guy made a research about this topic. He concluded that the best way to lubricate the chain is by shifting front derailleur to the biggest cog and shifting rear derailleur to the biggest cog. Then lube every link with a single drop from outside the chain and spin the cranks backwards. The experiment was him pouring lube on flat surface and then wiggle the chain on it. The chain started to suck the liquid with its outer part from the flat surface. I do it that way just because the research. Previously I did it as shown here. Actually I see no difference in longterm. For cleaning I put the chain in plastic bottle full of kerosene and then put in in an ultrasonic tub but you can just close the bottle, let it stay for a while and then jiggle it. If you want to get the best from your chain you can try waxing it. I've never done it but it seems promising. But If you are lazy to clean and lube your chain, waxing may not be for you. I think everybody know this but WD-40 is dissolvent. It's clearly not for lubing but it's great for cleaning mechanical parts such as chains and derailleurs. The downside is the price that's why I use kerosene. Other way to clean your chain fast is to put it in jar with hot water and dishwashing liquid and jiggle it then you can rinse it again with hot water only. Buying a quick release chain link will help you a lot doing chain maintenance.
The kerosene in a jar method is for stripping out the factory grease (like what the chain stripper in the video does). If you wax your chain, you're only gonna do that once, because waxing doesnt attract that much dirt. You can clean the chain by pouring hot water to melt the old wax off, and then rewax.
@JamesGoddard-i7s Thing is, at least with Shimano, that stuff needs to come off or you'll have a dirty chain pretty much when you park the bike for 5 minutes outside after picking it up from the shop and there's no way of avoiding that until you strip it off the chain. Lubes applied to rollers will definitely find their way into the into the chain internals (see "capilliary action"), so you can absolutely re-grease a chain properly after removing the factory stuff, and I think, you should!
Josh from Silca recommends applying lube on the top of the chain, right as it engages the cassette when backpedalling, in the largest sprocket. He says it is to facilitate penetration, as it is the location where the chain is most "opened up", and then the rollers turn several times around the cassette and pulleys. This enables the lube to penetrate and coat the inside of the chain more efficiently. Any opinion on this?
There is something about it, but I prefer to put a wax on each roller and rotate each one with fingers so it goes inside. It's just a couple of rollers...😅
I use this method but there is barely any difference between using this and the one in the video. I'd say it doesn't really matter which one you do as you get the same results.
Low odor paint thinner/kerosene based solvent, really cheap, it's what we used in our bike shop's solvent cleaning station. it's made to quickly dissolve old grease and flush out dirty oil. A (US) gallon is about $7. Some choice oils are 2 stroke premix synthetic oil, you can add a very thin amount, you can use it very sparingly. A 8 ounce bottle is about $4.
@gcntech As much as I liked having a waxed chain, it doesn't work well in my hot, dry climate. After going through all the trouble of the cleaning/application process, it would immediately melt off in less than an hour getting everywhere it didn't need to go. Having spent many years working in clothing factories, I recently started using Singer sewing machine oil with great success. Sewing machines run for hours at over 6000 RPM in the hottest and dustiest environments you can imagine. The oil is thick so it stays put, but not overly greasy or tacky so it attracts minimal dust and dirt. The only drawback is that it does have a strong odor during the application.
Can you do a video on sub compact cranks? I'm finding it difficult to find ones that plug and play with hollowtech bottom brackets and keep the same chainline. What are the dos and don'ts of installing a 46/30 on a road bike?
I use squirt line and have for a couple of years excellent.. a tip from me would be to microwave the application bottle for 10 seconds shake then apply, I also put it into big ring on back and one off the top on the back cassette to allow the lube to fully seat for a about 10 mins.. works for me 😊 Pete 🚴♀️🚴♀️🚴🏻👍
Would really like to know how many people actually have the tools and knowledge to remove their chain. I’ve never done it before. Also same applies for a dedicated indoor bike?
everyone who regularly services their own bike will have inexpensive quick link pliers and a bag of inexpensive quick links from amazon... also Dawn dishwashing liquid is an excellent degreaser so you don't need overpriced bicycle chain degreasers
It is easy with a quick link and a bit more difficult with the old Shimano pins (though Shimano has moved to quick links too, generally). You get quicker at it. The link removal tools in the shape of a X allow you to tighten the link using the tool, because squeezing expands and tightens the link. Even the smallest 2USD tools are fine. Links sold in packs of 5 or 10 are very cheap and last 20 - 40 removal/replacements, or you can change more often. I have have had an old one fall off so I keep a spare in my saddle bag.
Wear gloves when handling anything the lube gets on including rags the nickel on the chain can cause Pompholyx (dyshidrotic eczema) in some people over time.
Please help me with a clarification. Silca is GCN sponsor, and we see Josh regularly. He made a video in the Spring called 'Stop Wasting Your CHAIN LUBE! Know the BEST Way to Apply It!'. Very detailed deep dive into the life of a cycle chain, and he explains why you should lube the outside of the chain. In this tutorial Alex, using Silca products, advocates the lubrication to be applied on the inside. Are we in or out?
I'm currently testing "Fluna Tech" ceramic coating, it's intended for firearms, but I figure reducing friction and not attracting dirt apply to firearms as well, so might be worth a try.
It would be amazing if there were a TH-cam Channel that focused on Bikes and did independent lube testing and published results. If only a channel like that existed.
The one with the guy crying about 1x drivetrains because supposedly it makes you lose 2 watts? 😂 Yeah they’re totally grounded in reality and never become overly obsessed with bullshit
It is called zero friction cycling : it is an independent tester who tests a lot of lubricant in with the same protocol. Everything has been summarized on his web site
@@fouderock14 ZFC is obviously backed by Silca-it’s pretty clear from what they put out. They always seem to hype up Silca's performance while unfairly knocking other brands without much proof. Yet, people still buy into what they say without questioning it. 😂
I’m retired - - I don’t have time to clean my chain! 😂 Seriously - how often should an average-mileage rider change his chain? I notice the better ride and put on a new chain every other year (it’s my best maintenance tip!).
I wonder what cost less in the long run. Replacing a chain early due to not cleaning it, or the cost of chain cleaner and lube over the period that other chain lasted.
Depends on the chain you're getting, I'd imagine. I've heard others claiming that a higher end (not necessarily "ultralight only lasts for one race" higher end) chain lasts a lot longer due to better metal treatments, so the price evens out in the long run; if I had a more expensive chain I'd also be more willing to get a nicer lube and take better care of it to stretch that investment even further. Not so much if it's a cheap $15-20 chain and another $25-30 worth of cleaner and lube, though whether or not that's actually economical in the long run, I'm not really sure. I did experiment with even cheaper AliExpress chains and got decent mileage-per-dollar out of them, but it ends up being a lot more work to stay on top of them...
Honestly, probably the cleaning products. I don't use the most expensive stuff, it's like 10 bucks per bottle and lasts a while but I still go through a bottle every few months. A SRAM force chain is $30-40 but the noises from not cleaning it would drive me insane
It's not just the chain. You'll be replacing expensive worn out front rings and cogset too, if enough grinding paste is left on the chain to do its thing. Wax is king.
Lubing is way cheaper even with inexpensive drive trains, unless you are overpaying for your chemicals. You'd only need isopropanol for washing off dirt between oil applications. It is totally reusable until it becomes contaminated too much with rain water from insides of rollers. And no more than a 1L of alkali based cleaning concentrate for complete cleanse 1-2 times a season. That will last for a very long time as well. As for the oil, 100mL would last you like 15k km if you apply it with a syringe needle every 100km, which takes more time but is way less messy and more effective since you are able to feed right under the roller through the gaps between them and plates, and there is almost nothing to wipe off afterwards. It takes me ~0.6cc of oil for a 112L chain.
Everything very well explained and absolutely correct in this video. Funny giving this advice to roadies with their 5k plus bikes though, as this is absolute basic knowledge and routine for any fixed gear rider concerning our drivetrains. And by the way, I apply one drop per each individual roller aswell, nothing nerdy about that.
Can you comment on Dry vs. Wet lube? Does Dry work on the same principles (too much attracts dirt, only apply to the insides, remove excess). Or is Dry lube a scam?
I use Dry Lube for years now on a degreased chain and I am pretty convinced it is a good solution. Rain is washing it off quite quick, but it doesn't attract dirt like oil.
To be honest, it sounds like a lot of faff and buying new chains more regularly feels like a much better use of time than mucking about degreasing brand new ones.
Best results I’ve had is with Squirt lube, after fully degreasing, applied liberally on the upper of the chain whilst back pedalling squeezes the wax into the rollers as it passes through the jockey wheels, let it dry over night. No more degreasing, just needs a brush and reapply periodically.
@@bonbonflippers4298Correct! I take a rag to my chain twice a week and wipe it clean, then apply drip wax. Every 1000 miles or so, I put the chain in boiling water, let it dry, and hot wax it which lasts over 200 miles alone, but combined with the drip wax you get this cycle where your chain and drivetrain are able to be cleaned with water or simple bike wash soap. Edit: I should mention I am riding about 200 miles a week.
Hello. I am using Smoove Prep Chain Cleaner. I always take the chain off the bike to do it. Due to the nature of riding and conditions (fair dry weather), I am using the dry lube (fancy ceramic one). Follow all the steps as advised (clean, dry, apply). However, even if I apply the lube the night before, allowing it to soak in and dry property, the chain picks up a lot of dirt/grime just after 70km. This means I need to perform chain cleaning every single time. I am sure, it shouldn't be the case. Please advise, what I should do to make the lubrication last longer? #askgcntech
Mid 80’s I did a 25,000km bike trip over 14 months. Did not carry any chain lube with me, just seemed like something that could leak and get on lots of things that did not need to be lubed. When the chain got rough, just went to a petro station and got an empty container of motor oil and pored a bit of the stuff still in the bottle on to the chain, gave it a wipe and I was good for another 1500 to 2000 km.
The usual reason given for applying lube to the inside is to allow the centrifugal force on the lube, as it is carried around the big ring and cassette sprockets, to push the lube through the chain links for thorough penetration. Is it really so much harder to apply lube to the inside ?
Still: Make your own experiences, try different things and keep in mind that there isn't 'the' product for every type of riding. I've had dry lubes that kept the drivetrain nice and clean for multiple (short) rides but when you rode way over 100 km in total, the chain got noisy and rattly because the lube must have *evaporated* - same in the rain, don't try your full-day epic in unstable weather conditions, some of these products are gone after just a few kilometers in the wet and break your heart when you move on with a noisy AF chain. Sometimes, you better accept that your bike is getting wet and dirty and apply something more sticky like mineral oil or wet-specific products (which attract dirt by nature) in the first place. Before anybody slides in the comments below, we're staying in the non-waxing realms, here. 😊
Pretty sure you're talking about different outsides. The "outside" in the video means the "closed" part on the sides of the chain, facing the frame and away from the bike. Where the markings are stamped into the chain
Clean cogs with Diesel, applied with a 1'' brush with a small pan to collect the dripping. Then use a clean rag moist with Diesel to wipe the chain. Clean after every ride.
Imersive waxing is by far the best way to lube a chain and maintain a drivetrain. Your chain is completely flushed clean each time it goes in the hot wax and there is no black oily filth on any of the drivetrain. It saves so much time wasted cleaning the bike... plus you will usually double your chain life.
@@fernosan I pour a kettle of boiling water over the chain in the kitchen sink before immersing in the molten wax in the double boiler on the stove top... paraffin wax starts to melt at 37C so 100C water carries away any contaminants between the pins and rollers along with the old wax
@@fernosanif you’re mostly riding road, you literally only need to wipe your chain with a microfiber towel to pick up the dirt it may accumulate. Dip it in the hot wax, shake around and let sit for 10 minutes, then pull it and hang to dry. That’s it. The longest process is the first time you prep your chain. It’s much simpler long-term
@@fernosan because wax is a solid lubricant most dirt will just wash off. I recently got my waxed mtb chain caked in mud and after nothing more than a wash with the hosepipe it was clean enough that I was happy to put it down on the living room carpet. When you re-wax all the old wax melts off and any remaining dirt is flushed out. The best info on chain waxing can be found from Zero Friction Cycling. He is the best regarded for independent testing of different chain lubricants.
@@fernosan no, you dont have to clean the chain every time you re wax. just dump the chain in the molten wax. chains stay very clean when waxed, so the wax does not get contaminated quickly. you dont even have to clean a new chain of the grease they come with as always so tediously stated by 'experts' as paraffin is as good a solvent as anything, esp when at high temps. probably better in fact. and the grease wont change the wax properties and will be utterly insignificant by proportion. i really get sick of hearing ppl say a new chain has to be degreased before waxing. its so silly and shows ignorance of basic chemistry. not having to clean a new chain is actually another benefit of immersion waxing.
1. Do not remove the thick oil on a new chain with degreaser, just use Weldtite TF2 or similiar on a rag and simply wipe off the outside of the chain. 2. Do not use strong degreaser on any part of your bike (if you need to do that, you've used the wrong kind of lubricant in the first place). 3. Do not remove the chain from your bike unless you intend to replace it (completely unnecessary, and just a waste of time). 4. Do not use degreaser as part of your regular maintenance, wash your bike with ordinary cleaning products like MucOff Bike Cleaner or similar. 5. It doesn't really matter how much oil you apply on the chain, as long as it's enough to lubricate the rollers (you'll be wiping off the excess anyway). 6. In reality, it's using the bike that causes chain wear, and not your maintenance routines (just replace chain when it's worn out, and think nothing more of it). 7. Don't listen to advice in videos on TH-cam where they are over-complicating things :-)
Just today I had a guy come in to lube his chain - He wanted oil on the chain, cassette and chainrings. I think he thought I was crazy when I said first you need to clean the dirt off. Some bikes come in with a thick layer of something like chainsaw oil over the whole chain
I seem to either have oil dripping off mid ride, or I find the next day I didn’t put enough (or wiped off too much) and have small rust spots on the outside surfaces of the chain.
I use Silca Synergetic. It is fairly expensive, but it does an excellent job. Instead of marinating the links with it, and ending with most of it on the floor, I transfer it from its bottle to another one with a needle applicator. I apply two small drops, one on each side of a roller pin and all is good to go. After each ride I swipe the chain and the gears with a cloth. At the 300 Km mark, I re-apply. It lasts for ages and the drivetrain attracts no dirt.
@@awakenedbahamut2574 I found that Synergetic lasts for about 300-400Km on the dry. It does not matter though. Applying it with a needle nose bottle will last for years. I wonder why Silca abandoned the initial needle nose bottle for the one that literally bathes the chain.
@@cauldron101 silca says they found that the needle applicator actually doesn't put enough lube on the chain and it works better with a bit more on there.
@@awakenedbahamut2574 Perhaps it was me adding more than I should with the new cap. Most of it was ending on the floor. I will test applying twice with the needle nose to see if it feels any different.
Interesting. I just learned to apply the Lube to each link on the inside. I've been doing top and bottom. Too much Lube. 😮 a good clean and Lube required.
Little secret: air tool oil is a light non-detergent oil that can be used for many purposes around the home & shop. It's super cheap if you buy at Harbor freight. 4oz. bottle just 99 cents. 16oz bottle 5 bucks. Been using it for years on everything from firearms to bicycles.
#askgcntech hey guys, I am addicted to all things GCN! I recently started immersion waxing on two of my bikes but I only get 50-70 miles until the chain sounds really dry again. This doesn’t seem right, but the only thing I can think is that the wax was too hot when I immersed it ? Does that sound about right? I started with new chains. Degreased them and then degreased them with the Silca degreaser before waxing. Cheers. Rob
Buy an oil applicator it actually makes oiling your chain fun. I think the one I got was for model trains. You can put a tiny bit of oil on each chain link easily with precision. Don’t use the live bottle.
Not fully. Sound dampening can happen with a thicker oil, even it becomes closer to a grinding fluid than a lubricant; this means you can't compare how different lube sounds to determine cleanliness. However, if you only use one type of chain lube and ride in consistent environmental conditions, sound can be an effective way to check if your lubricant is still at peak efficiency or not.
I apply lube on the rollers while they are off the bike. Pull the chain around a wrench to engage the rollers and help the lube to get in there, then wipe the chain as dry as i could.
Because some chains are using Quicklink like mine, I remove them and soak it quickly with petrol then wash it with water and liquid soap. Put it back and I lubricate it with Silicone spray. Doing it for 4 years and my bike chains are still good and no rusts.
Waxing tips 1) While the addition of lubricative powders to wax may make little different to watts of efficiency, it may improve the life of the chain. I am not sure but my chaing has lasted 50,000 km. I use Molybdenum disulphide and PTFE powder which can be purchased from alixp cheaply. 2) I find that candle wax , i.e. candles from a dollar tree (100 yen shop) work fine. Others use bees wax / paraffin mixtures. 3) If you have a slow cooker (ideally) or other electrical cooker (I use an IH cooker and a steel bottomed pot) then you can heat wax outside, and avoid wax smells in the house. If you burn the wax it will make it more brittle and certainly changes the wax but I find that the wax is pretty tolerant of being simmered for a while. I.e. while slower cookers are recommended, I stopped using one for the time it took to melt the wax, and do not seem to have noticeable ill effect from overheating my wax. 4) There is no need to have wax anywhere that you can see but I find it does not hurt to put a lot of wax on the chain by letting the wax cool a little before hanging out to harden. 5) pull the chain off the back of the derailleur. 6) Since the wax is so cheap you can use it as a cleaner (perhaps changing your wax every now and again, once a year?) and just put the chain straight in wax. I only wash after rainy days because I find that a waxed chain picks up so little dirt on other days. 7) Some use an ultrasound cleaner but I use a whole body vibration machine to shake dirt out of my chain into detergent occasionally. 8) Since molten wax is a cleaner you can put a new chain straight in the wax and the grease will be cleaned off making little difference to the wax. 9) When the wax is molten is the only time it will make your hands dirty. One cooled you can hold the chain, or wear suit trousers on your road bike with little fear. Perhaps not white suit trousers. 10) Missing links are cheap but I still use my about 20 times. I carry a spare in my saddle bag because I have had an old missing link fall off. If you want to be safe, even a non KMC generic link should last 10 times but your mileage may vary. 11) I wax ever 200-300 km but again, it will depend on the chain, riding conditions, and how long you want your chain to last. 12) I put the front derailleur into the smaller chainring because it makes it easier to thread. 13) I use a knee pad to kneel next to my bike on the ground. 14) I thread onto the jockey wheels first, by poking in and turning each wheel in turn. 15) It is important to thread the chain on the inside of the little tap between the two jockey wheels. I may even remove it one day. Missing the tab is the only thing I have got wrong. I rode for a while making a noise before I realised so it is not such a big deal, imho. 18) Threading the chain through the front dérailleur is easier once the wax is hard. 19) It is easy to loose links on gravel or grass, if you do it in your garden/yard. When I thread up, I put the links in an old ash tray so I don't lose them on the ground. 20) It is good to have a cooker with a timer. 21) It is good to have another timer to tell you when the wax has cooled down for 5 or 10 minutes depending on the ambient temperature. Taking the chain out of the hot very-liquid wax may also be fine. 22) If you use two pairs of pliers, the X shaped quick link pliers to open the link by squeezing your hand, and a pair of two Vs joined at the apex for lengthening and closing the link by squeezing it is more convenient than using the pedal to close the link because you probably need one hand to keep the link sides together, and another to turn the pedal, and a third to stop the chain from dropping off the chainwheel. Ni self respecting mechanic would have any difficulty, but I am not a mechanic and like having both types of plyers. That said my X shaped plyers are just thin nosed pliers from a 100 yen shop that I have ground down a bit to make them thinner for removing the link by squeezing your hand, it makes it easier. Normal X shaped pliers need to be pulled apart to open the link, which is slightly more difficult. 23) Keep some spare bushings, the ring shaped bits between the chain plates, because you may lose one when removing or repkace misding links. Keep one bushing in your saddle bag. I have mine in a tiny pill box with a missing link and a presta to schrader valve converter.
A question for those using Cyclon Bionet chain cleaner: I have the impression that since the color of the liquid is darker blue than before, it degreases wayyyyyy less. Anybody have the same impression? Or any suggestions for a different product?
@@russyJ20 If you can't afford ultrasound, a second hand whole body vibration machine will get the grits and dust out, and can be used for stretching, less so as exercise.
Once upon a time our family would use kerosene to clean chains in a container. I think the bicycles, especially from England were very high quality steel. Before it was stolen by a drunk, I had Melvan Star bicycle with a 4 (or was it 5) speed Strumley- Archer gears. Following the advice of old timers, I looked after that bike by cleaning with water and a damp rag; applying kerosene to the frame and wheels; and wiping it off with an old towel. What is the modern mechanics take on all this?
Do I get it right? You first clean the chan with a degreaser to bare metal, next you wax it, and when it gets dirty over time you lube it? Somehow I feel I have got it not completely right...
EDIT: is lubing and waxing the same thing? You sometimes say lubing and sometimes you say waxing. Do you mean the same thing by saying these two? Thank you
I found the easiest to apply lube is to apply it on top of the cassette and backpedal. You can hold the bottle very stable to not wander around and thus avoid getting lube every where. It's fast as well, I do just 2 revolutions of the chain. Backpedal some time and wipe off. As for degreasing, I use regular white spirit. It's cheap and works very well. Just put some on a cloth and wipe the chain clean. I don't get people buying expensive degreasers (well, maybe for the environmental aspect).
That old clip of Si is fantastic 😂 I bet that if he had a bike with disc brakes, he would have applied some WD40 on there too. To get rid of the loud breaking noise 😂
If you live somewhere that salts their roads a lot in winter I do recommend DROWING the chain in oil for those months. Even spraying some on the cassette is a good idea. Unless you like all the face plates of your chain and your cassette to completely rust up in one winter
Well i am in the gifted spot to have 3 bikes. 1 MTB, 1 Road and one Trekking to and from Work. I clean the Chain on my MTB and Road after every ride. On my Trekking i usualy do it once every month. If you ride in the wet and or snow, do it more often tho.
Research shows that the best place to apply lube is at the TOP of the chain just after it leaves the rear cog (after putting the chain on the largest chainring at the front and the largest cog at the rear). At this location the chain links are experiencing their greatest sideways forces allowing for the best penetration of lube into the inner pins and rollers of the chain.
Since I started looking after my chain properly the first thing I noticed, they last twice as long! And I don't wax! Yet! I used to clean the chain with the rest of the bike with a pressure washer then give it a "really good" oiling! Now I spend time cleaning it and lubing it properly and yes I too lube each individual roller! 😂 In the long run it makes financial sense but I don't get awful chain noises or even, god forbid, clicking! I'm gonna try waxing on my summer road bike next year. I'm not sure about wax on Gravel & MTB, especially through the UK winter 🤔
Yep, I can confirm that when riding in wet and dirty conditions, the wax on the chain doesn't last very long. Sometimes just a little above 100 km, even with the hot wax method. If you don't have the chance to clean and dry it immediately after riding (like when bike packing and you have to store your bike outside while it's still raining), the chain will easily start to pick up rust. I still use it on my gravelbike, because cleaning your bike is so much easier. And it quickly becomes a habit after riding to look after your chain, which will only take you 2 minutes with a microfibre towel and some wet wax. Occasionally, you need to rewax with hot wax and don't forget to use reusable quick links. Sometimes you need to remove some buildup of wax between the smallest cogs, but it's nothing compared to the grime you get with oil.
🫧 Let us know your chain cleaning tips and lubricant advice in the comments! 🔗
I select "cold wash cycles" on my washing machine then I add the softener+rinse+spin then 15 min in tumble dryer (wrap your chain in a cloth otherwise is noisy) and the chain looks brand new.
After backpedaling, check the chainrings, cassette and pullywheels for lube residue and remove with a cloth. Otherwise it might attract dirt and you still have sandpaper on the bike
My solution is a bit expensive I bought a belt drive bicycle 😄
Ultrasonic cleaner
I'm a poor guy and a bit autistic, and I don't have a rug or cloth (who would want to put dirty oil on a clean piece of cloth anyway) - so I use just paper from the daily newspaper to remove the excess lubricant. It should be that matte paper, which can absorb some oil, not that shiny color magazine paper - also makes for some quality reading while you are cleaning your chain!
The lower pulley wheel needs to have a healthy layer of black tar caked on, that's how you know the bike is nice and ripe.
Scientist says that the healthy black tar soaks in all excess moisture and lube. After a while when the chain lube runs out this excess lube and moisture is recoated again on the chain making it last so much longer. You can see it in action as the chain gets black by all premium oil.
@@banzooiebooie Sure, nice grind paste. 😀
😂😂
@@banzooiebooie It's all about that grindset.
@@banzooiebooie 😟
The irony of a GCN video telling you not to be drawn in by fancy marketing.
SAE 80 gear box oil from an oil can, and if needed, white spirit to clean it, which is rarely, as gear box oil does not attract dirt.
You do get some spray onto the back wheel, but I'm not arsed, I just want my chain to last, with the minimum of maintenance.
Seems to have worked for the past 50 years or so.
Same :) As a mechanic, have dozens of 0.5-0.75 used chains & cassettes. For second life too :D 1L bottle for 13$ is for years. Chain not shine, is dirty but that's don't bozer me :) Shop sends me 15ml demo Squirt for 3$, 1L = 200$ and hours of waxing, properly waxing in bath
Your freehub might be loud as heck, but my dry chain is louder
🗣"Who brought the army of rats to the ride?"
Hi If you decide to lubricate each roller of the chain, before you wipe the extra lube from the chain,wait a couple hours to give the lube the time to penetrate into the rollers.
Really? How could it take a couple of hours to penetrate into the rollers? I'm guessing that happens pretty much instantly. You have a very runny liquid that has to flow about 2 millimeters to its target.
@@sfdint You are correct,the oil penetrates pretty fast.Once the oil has penetrated inside it takes a while for the compound/molecules of high quality oil to stick to rollers,etc.etc.
I have talked to a technician here in Italy that works on bike racing motor/trany.Bases on the tests they have done,before they run an engine they first turn the engine with a device with out starting it, in order for the oil to lubricate everything.
They wait couple hours,then the fire the engine.
They never put the oil in and fire the engine even at low revolution.
He said: If you do you are asking for trouble.
He told me about waiting couple hours,before,i lubed the chain, wipe away i go if i needed to go out.
Now with this new procedure,i clean the chain every 250/300 km.lube, wait 2 hours,wipe the chain clean,ready to go.
I get about from 5000/7000 km out of a chain with in the specifications of 0.75mm
Spin the rear wheel for 60 seconds. That's all that is needed. I use 3 in 1 oil.
@@saveriodipoce2201 I am waiting for a tesla robot to lube my chain correctly
@@meFatuations3in1 was made for bikes originally
I'm a volunteer bike mechanic and so many bikes have their drivetrains caked with dirt. I'm guessing most people just load on the lube and call it a day. At least I get some satisfaction scraping off the thick greasy dirt from the jockey wheels. I tell people exactly what you said in these videos, and show them too.
If you have to do this as a job, for more than a few days a fortnight, it gets pretty tedious and disgusting, I can tell you (having done it for 20+ years I have some {disgusting} skin in the game).
You're worth your weight in gold ⭐ I don't enjoy bike maintenance, and from what you've said I'm probably best to pay an expert
I have been using a 50% strength of Simple Green. It works, smells decent, and doesn't destroy anything. I have also changed to a Wax Water chain lube. The chain is nice and quiet and does not pick up much sand or grit. I live in Florida; it is wet and sandy especially in the summer. So far so good with the new lube.
Exactly this method for me, works great.
Have a quick look into Simple Green hydrogen embrittlement and ensure you're using the right product.
one of your sponsors shows me a completely different way of applying the lube on their channel (i.e. silca) so i guess that’s good proof you don’t just do what Josh tells you … lol. but i think that way is beter after trying it recently
My go to lubricant for chains is heavy duty motor oil. Most motorcycle companies have it listed as the preferred chain lubricant, sure it's mainly because its kind on the o-rings but you can also just split it into a few different sized bottles and droppers and then use it for everything, even the cleaning. Sure, you get the oil all over the place and need to have the soap ready to go, but it penetrates easily and gets to all the right places, as you use more and more it lifts all the dirt and grime out faster than you think it has any right to and all you need to do after proper cleaning is hang it up for a while, fit and wipe.
I always used proper chain cleaners and what i thought were good lubricants, until i ran out of lubricant after i had used the chain cleaner and instead used the oil from my old car that i have been using for the chain on my Yamaha as it suggests in the service manual... i could not believe how much crap came out into the oil after i had used my $47 chain cleaner... I never went back and because i have 3 vehicles and 2 mowers, i never run out either.
I lubricate my chains a drop per roller, and I typically wait about a minute per horizontal chain section between chainring and the cog, before advancing the next section, to let the lube penetrate inside rollers, so as little as possible ends up on drivetrain teeth. I also preheat bottle of lube in a cup of hot water, so it runs a bit thinner and penetrates the rollers a bit faster.
I always follow Ollie's advice "Move chain to big sprocket rear/front to open the chain" when lubing a chain.👌
not necessary
Actually, it's a lot better to do the exact opposite :-)
@@kristianvrum8979 Why?
@@tonyb9735 You open the chain more on a small cog, a large cog is bettered by a straight bit of chain.
@@benedictearlson9044 Thanks, but I'm not quite sure that I understand, are we talking about deliberately cross chaining to open the links of the chain, or using the tighter radius of the small cogs to cause the chain to "bend" further than it would on a larger radius?
This point may have been made - winter, road salt and sparing lube application to inside of chain can lead to rusty chain. During winter I apply a bit more coating on the chain during winter to avoid this - and clean & dry and lube the chain more regularly
That clip of Si with his WD40 never gets old 😅
Knowing what it does to rubber & resin, then I look at those tires & carbon fiber & think of the poor _brake pads..._ Oof.
@@prophetzarquon what does WD40 do to rubber/tyres or carbon fibre?! It's one of the most neutral substances can use
Worked fine for me 🤷♂️
@@b.k.4557 nothing neutral about PTFE
@@a1white Gather PTFE now banned hence why GT85 have had to remove it from Jan 24.
Money and time saving hacks: spray on GT85 being careful not to get any on the brake rotor, leave for 2 minutes, jet wash off (your chain will look like new!), re-lube with a good 2-stroke engine oil (at least 10x cheaper than any 'chain lube' and probably better), as it is so cheap you don't have to waste time putting a tiny drop on each joint, just rotate the cranks and squeeze it on (I simply refill an old chain lube bottle), wrap some kitchen roll round the chain and rotate again to wipe off any excess. 👍
question: does the jet wash not spread oily residue to brake surfaces? Or can it be relied on to get rid of the old oil. I have rim brakes.
I'm a qualified Maintenance engineer, more importantly I hate un-necessary work. I've been installing, replacing and maintaining chains for 35 yrs for money. I've got 3 bicycles and 3 motorcycles.
The pins, bushes and rollers wear most in that order.
Wax is a crap lube, it has very little shear strength under load and does not wick back unless heat caused by friction damage melts it.
Primary drive chains in engines last for 100's of thousands of miles because they have constant clean lube, the more you clean and lube it the longer it will last.
Spending $200 on lube and cleaner to make a $50 chain last 2x longer is mathematically 2x more stupid than necessary.
I spend about $8.00 on lube for the price of a chain that costs $35. It's not about the cost only, but about the ride feel and no squeaking noises in addition to less friction.
@@markconnelly1806 Soluble oil for machining is interesting - it's designed to work under the harshest load - cutting steel - but washes off completely and easily with a hose. Leaves everything on the chain side sparkling clean.
The fact that drill oil doesn't reject water very well, is a bit of a downside, though...
@@prophetzarquon I used to use it with a Scottoiler for bicycles (constant lube system) so rain wasn't an issue. Never had such a consistently clean drive train since.
Wax does not pick up dirt and allows my chain to last forever.
Bicycle chains don't get that hot so there is no need for the only semi molten wax to wick anywhere.
Huh, I just did what seemed logical and you just validated my methodology. I use a hardware store grill cleaning spray with the chain off the bike and then I've sworn by T-9 Boeshield for decades - happy riding!
Totally validating @paulbuckles5353! I've been using the Boeshield for a few years as well. Thanks!
Great advice - 1 addition: I use thinner chain oils for dry riding, and thicker for when I know it's going to be raining or I'll be going through areas that are wet.
When it rains, my bike gets "chain suck" which has scratched my chainstay 🥲 this is even when i use "wet" lube
I watched a video on TH-cam where the guy made a research about this topic. He concluded that the best way to lubricate the chain is by shifting front derailleur to the biggest cog and shifting rear derailleur to the biggest cog. Then lube every link with a single drop from outside the chain and spin the cranks backwards. The experiment was him pouring lube on flat surface and then wiggle the chain on it. The chain started to suck the liquid with its outer part from the flat surface. I do it that way just because the research. Previously I did it as shown here. Actually I see no difference in longterm. For cleaning I put the chain in plastic bottle full of kerosene and then put in in an ultrasonic tub but you can just close the bottle, let it stay for a while and then jiggle it.
If you want to get the best from your chain you can try waxing it. I've never done it but it seems promising. But If you are lazy to clean and lube your chain, waxing may not be for you.
I think everybody know this but WD-40 is dissolvent. It's clearly not for lubing but it's great for cleaning mechanical parts such as chains and derailleurs. The downside is the price that's why I use kerosene. Other way to clean your chain fast is to put it in jar with hot water and dishwashing liquid and jiggle it then you can rinse it again with hot water only. Buying a quick release chain link will help you a lot doing chain maintenance.
A lot of information
Tolstoy's already written War and Peace: you don't have to do it again. With less factual and logical input than he did, to a work of fiction.
The kerosene in a jar method is for stripping out the factory grease (like what the chain stripper in the video does). If you wax your chain, you're only gonna do that once, because waxing doesnt attract that much dirt. You can clean the chain by pouring hot water to melt the old wax off, and then rewax.
@@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589 How is this comment helpful?
Funny it was maybe this video from Josh at Silca? th-cam.com/video/Vot15ro-fcE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=lXPGWIz8hWdqxqkV😂 says @5.22
Great stuff Alex, and your bike looks like a cherub delivered it from the heavens. Such a rich and simple aesthetic!
I was told at some point that the factory coating is not a lube at all but a corrosion protection coating to keep the chain shining in the packaging.
I believe this is used to prevent the chain rusting whilst being shipped
It's a"lube" just like grease is a lube that happens to be thicker than light oils and holds onto dirt pretty well.
@JamesGoddard-i7s Thing is, at least with Shimano, that stuff needs to come off or you'll have a dirty chain pretty much when you park the bike for 5 minutes outside after picking it up from the shop and there's no way of avoiding that until you strip it off the chain. Lubes applied to rollers will definitely find their way into the into the chain internals (see "capilliary action"), so you can absolutely re-grease a chain properly after removing the factory stuff, and I think, you should!
quality chains don't rust. low cost junk chains rust.
that is what I thought also.
I not only wipe chain, but pulleys. Everything is much cleaner then and makes next lubing much quicker, as I don't have to scrape dirt from them.
Josh from Silca recommends applying lube on the top of the chain, right as it engages the cassette when backpedalling, in the largest sprocket.
He says it is to facilitate penetration, as it is the location where the chain is most "opened up", and then the rollers turn several times around the cassette and pulleys. This enables the lube to penetrate and coat the inside of the chain more efficiently.
Any opinion on this?
There is something about it, but I prefer to put a wax on each roller and rotate each one with fingers so it goes inside. It's just a couple of rollers...😅
I use this method but there is barely any difference between using this and the one in the video. I'd say it doesn't really matter which one you do as you get the same results.
@@humanflame4271 Barely a difference in performance maybe but also barely a difference in difficulty and time as well.
Finish by massaging the super secret sauce into the rollers.
Elbow Grease is a fantastic degreaser.
Can be bought pretty cheaply too from B&M or Ho.e Bargains (here in UK)
That's where I get my long weights from.
Low odor paint thinner/kerosene based solvent, really cheap, it's what we used in our bike shop's solvent cleaning station. it's made to quickly dissolve old grease and flush out dirty oil. A (US) gallon is about $7. Some choice oils are 2 stroke premix synthetic oil, you can add a very thin amount, you can use it very sparingly. A 8 ounce bottle is about $4.
Silica actually recommends applying their lube at the top near the cassette to maximize the lube going between the rollers.
not necessary as you should rotate the chain completely around a couple of times
@gcntech As much as I liked having a waxed chain, it doesn't work well in my hot, dry climate. After going through all the trouble of the cleaning/application process, it would immediately melt off in less than an hour getting everywhere it didn't need to go. Having spent many years working in clothing factories, I recently started using Singer sewing machine oil with great success. Sewing machines run for hours at over 6000 RPM in the hottest and dustiest environments you can imagine. The oil is thick so it stays put, but not overly greasy or tacky so it attracts minimal dust and dirt. The only drawback is that it does have a strong odor during the application.
A old toothbrush works very well. A couple of tiny drops can easily lubricate your chain without getting messy.
As someone with a mid-motor ebike as well, this is life changing user advice!
What do you do with the cloth? As I assume you can't wash it if it's greased up? Is it yet another throw in the bin item?
old shirts and bedsheets work for this on their way to the bin
have had my bike since 2014 and replaced the chain for the first time 4 months back. it was chain stretch that got it.
Can you do a video on sub compact cranks? I'm finding it difficult to find ones that plug and play with hollowtech bottom brackets and keep the same chainline. What are the dos and don'ts of installing a 46/30 on a road bike?
I use squirt line and have for a couple of years excellent.. a tip from me would be to microwave the application bottle for 10 seconds shake then apply, I also put it into big ring on back and one off the top on the back cassette to allow the lube to fully seat for a about 10 mins.. works for me 😊 Pete 🚴♀️🚴♀️🚴🏻👍
I used squirt for many years. Changed to silca super secret. sss is like squirt, but cleaner and lasts longer.
I don't do it incorrectly anymore. I started using chain wax last year and I'm happy with it. 😄
I have just started GLF wax 😁
I use ear wax. Cheap and in plenty supply.
Wax shills are here 🙄
@@papalegba6796 So what? Just use what you feel works best for you. 🚵
@@papalegba6796right? Commenters out here earning their $$ from Big Wax.
Would really like to know how many people actually have the tools and knowledge to remove their chain. I’ve never done it before. Also same applies for a dedicated indoor bike?
everyone who regularly services their own bike will have inexpensive quick link pliers and a bag of inexpensive quick links from amazon... also Dawn dishwashing liquid is an excellent degreaser so you don't need overpriced bicycle chain degreasers
It is easy with a quick link and a bit more difficult with the old Shimano pins (though Shimano has moved to quick links too, generally). You get quicker at it. The link removal tools in the shape of a X allow you to tighten the link using the tool, because squeezing expands and tightens the link. Even the smallest 2USD tools are fine. Links sold in packs of 5 or 10 are very cheap and last 20 - 40 removal/replacements, or you can change more often. I have have had an old one fall off so I keep a spare in my saddle bag.
Wear gloves when handling anything the lube gets on including rags the nickel on the chain can cause Pompholyx (dyshidrotic eczema) in some people over time.
Please help me with a clarification. Silca is GCN sponsor, and we see Josh regularly. He made a video in the Spring called 'Stop Wasting Your CHAIN LUBE! Know the BEST Way to Apply It!'. Very detailed deep dive into the life of a cycle chain, and he explains why you should lube the outside of the chain. In this tutorial Alex, using Silca products, advocates the lubrication to be applied on the inside.
Are we in or out?
Surely you just do both as if you've no memory of having done it yesterday?
I'm currently testing "Fluna Tech" ceramic coating, it's intended for firearms, but I figure reducing friction and not attracting dirt apply to firearms as well, so might be worth a try.
It would be amazing if there were a TH-cam Channel that focused on Bikes and did independent lube testing and published results. If only a channel like that existed.
youtube.com/@zerofrictioncycling992?si=vDJ6irv0vzdsLaP4
The one with the guy crying about 1x drivetrains because supposedly it makes you lose 2 watts? 😂 Yeah they’re totally grounded in reality and never become overly obsessed with bullshit
It is called zero friction cycling : it is an independent tester who tests a lot of lubricant in with the same protocol. Everything has been summarized on his web site
@@fouderock14he will be reamed by Hambini, soon.
@@fouderock14 ZFC is obviously backed by Silca-it’s pretty clear from what they put out. They always seem to hype up Silca's performance while unfairly knocking other brands without much proof. Yet, people still buy into what they say without questioning it. 😂
I’m retired - - I don’t have time to clean my chain! 😂 Seriously - how often should an average-mileage rider change his chain? I notice the better ride and put on a new chain every other year (it’s my best maintenance tip!).
Yes ... finally someone with common sense in bike chain maintenance! So cheap and easy to do:-) Hats off to you sir!
I wonder what cost less in the long run. Replacing a chain early due to not cleaning it, or the cost of chain cleaner and lube over the period that other chain lasted.
Depends on the chain you're getting, I'd imagine. I've heard others claiming that a higher end (not necessarily "ultralight only lasts for one race" higher end) chain lasts a lot longer due to better metal treatments, so the price evens out in the long run; if I had a more expensive chain I'd also be more willing to get a nicer lube and take better care of it to stretch that investment even further.
Not so much if it's a cheap $15-20 chain and another $25-30 worth of cleaner and lube, though whether or not that's actually economical in the long run, I'm not really sure. I did experiment with even cheaper AliExpress chains and got decent mileage-per-dollar out of them, but it ends up being a lot more work to stay on top of them...
I choose both
Honestly, probably the cleaning products. I don't use the most expensive stuff, it's like 10 bucks per bottle and lasts a while but I still go through a bottle every few months. A SRAM force chain is $30-40 but the noises from not cleaning it would drive me insane
It's not just the chain. You'll be replacing expensive worn out front rings and cogset too, if enough grinding paste is left on the chain to do its thing. Wax is king.
Lubing is way cheaper even with inexpensive drive trains, unless you are overpaying for your chemicals.
You'd only need isopropanol for washing off dirt between oil applications. It is totally reusable until it becomes contaminated too much with rain water from insides of rollers.
And no more than a 1L of alkali based cleaning concentrate for complete cleanse 1-2 times a season. That will last for a very long time as well.
As for the oil, 100mL would last you like 15k km if you apply it with a syringe needle every 100km, which takes more time but is way less messy and more effective since you are able to feed right under the roller through the gaps between them and plates, and there is almost nothing to wipe off afterwards. It takes me ~0.6cc of oil for a 112L chain.
Everything very well explained and absolutely correct in this video. Funny giving this advice to roadies with their 5k plus bikes though, as this is absolute basic knowledge and routine for any fixed gear rider concerning our drivetrains. And by the way, I apply one drop per each individual roller aswell, nothing nerdy about that.
Can you comment on Dry vs. Wet lube? Does Dry work on the same principles (too much attracts dirt, only apply to the insides, remove excess). Or is Dry lube a scam?
I use Dry Lube for years now on a degreased chain and I am pretty convinced it is a good solution. Rain is washing it off quite quick, but it doesn't attract dirt like oil.
To be honest, it sounds like a lot of faff and buying new chains more regularly feels like a much better use of time than mucking about degreasing brand new ones.
Best results I’ve had is with Squirt lube, after fully degreasing, applied liberally on the upper of the chain whilst back pedalling squeezes the wax into the rollers as it passes through the jockey wheels, let it dry over night. No more degreasing, just needs a brush and reapply periodically.
So with wax lube you don't degrease at all? Just wipe and reapply?
@@bonbonflippers4298Correct! I take a rag to my chain twice a week and wipe it clean, then apply drip wax. Every 1000 miles or so, I put the chain in boiling water, let it dry, and hot wax it which lasts over 200 miles alone, but combined with the drip wax you get this cycle where your chain and drivetrain are able to be cleaned with water or simple bike wash soap.
Edit: I should mention I am riding about 200 miles a week.
@@bonbonflippers4298 I give my chain a 5 minute boil every so often. That gets shot of the old wax.
I use squirt too, it's easy to use once you've done the initial de grease.
I used to soak a new chain in paraffin, or white spirit to get the factory grease off. Is this as good as modern de-grease products?
My bike has a 28 year old chain probably past it's best but it works nicely it gets a spray before some rides and s thorough clean once in a while.
Hello. I am using Smoove Prep Chain Cleaner. I always take the chain off the bike to do it. Due to the nature of riding and conditions (fair dry weather), I am using the dry lube (fancy ceramic one). Follow all the steps as advised (clean, dry, apply). However, even if I apply the lube the night before, allowing it to soak in and dry property, the chain picks up a lot of dirt/grime just after 70km. This means I need to perform chain cleaning every single time. I am sure, it shouldn't be the case. Please advise, what I should do to make the lubrication last longer? #askgcntech
What's the recommended milage to re lube on a road race bike assuming bike is ridden in dry weather (not in rain and mud)
every-100km
I do around 120 miles or so with a wet lube on an 8 speed chain. I go by feel and sound and you will notice when it's not as good.
That's why they have a lunch and tea break on the tdf - gives the mechanics a chance to re-lube the chain on the long stages 😂
Mid 80’s I did a 25,000km bike trip over 14 months. Did not carry any chain lube with me, just seemed like something that could leak and get on lots of things that did not need to be lubed. When the chain got rough, just went to a petro station and got an empty container of motor oil and pored a bit of the stuff still in the bottle on to the chain, gave it a wipe and I was good for another 1500 to 2000 km.
outstanding and exactly how everyone has should chain clean/lub
Wht apply the oil to the inside of the chain? As apposed to the outside (or from the top) where its just that little bit easier to apply
The usual reason given for applying lube to the inside is to allow the centrifugal force on the lube, as it is carried around the big ring and cassette sprockets, to push the lube through the chain links for thorough penetration. Is it really so much harder to apply lube to the inside ?
Still: Make your own experiences, try different things and keep in mind that there isn't 'the' product for every type of riding. I've had dry lubes that kept the drivetrain nice and clean for multiple (short) rides but when you rode way over 100 km in total, the chain got noisy and rattly because the lube must have *evaporated* - same in the rain, don't try your full-day epic in unstable weather conditions, some of these products are gone after just a few kilometers in the wet and break your heart when you move on with a noisy AF chain. Sometimes, you better accept that your bike is getting wet and dirty and apply something more sticky like mineral oil or wet-specific products (which attract dirt by nature) in the first place. Before anybody slides in the comments below, we're staying in the non-waxing realms, here. 😊
I have steel parts on my ebike, they are super durable and there is no wear on them, I know my chain needs lube by the sound when I am shifting gears.
Sgrasso for deagreasing and chainsaw chain oil mixed with a little bit of diesel for lubing. Cheap and good. Nothing fancy.
I reckon the wee gizmo that one runs the chain through is quite clever ❤
Funny thing, Alec. Silca, you know your sponsor, recommend doing it on the outside. At the top just when the chain hits the cassette.
Pretty sure you're talking about different outsides. The "outside" in the video means the "closed" part on the sides of the chain, facing the frame and away from the bike. Where the markings are stamped into the chain
Clean cogs with Diesel, applied with a 1'' brush with a small pan to collect the dripping. Then use a clean rag moist with Diesel to wipe the chain.
Clean after every ride.
is wd40 dry lube a good dry lube? cant seem to find a discussion about it on internet
Imersive waxing is by far the best way to lube a chain and maintain a drivetrain. Your chain is completely flushed clean each time it goes in the hot wax and there is no black oily filth on any of the drivetrain. It saves so much time wasted cleaning the bike... plus you will usually double your chain life.
How so? You mean you don't need to dewax (and wash the dirt) before reapplying? You got me interested since I despise the oily tar that forms
@@fernosan I pour a kettle of boiling water over the chain in the kitchen sink before immersing in the molten wax in the double boiler on the stove top... paraffin wax starts to melt at 37C so 100C water carries away any contaminants between the pins and rollers along with the old wax
@@fernosanif you’re mostly riding road, you literally only need to wipe your chain with a microfiber towel to pick up the dirt it may accumulate. Dip it in the hot wax, shake around and let sit for 10 minutes, then pull it and hang to dry. That’s it. The longest process is the first time you prep your chain. It’s much simpler long-term
@@fernosan because wax is a solid lubricant most dirt will just wash off. I recently got my waxed mtb chain caked in mud and after nothing more than a wash with the hosepipe it was clean enough that I was happy to put it down on the living room carpet. When you re-wax all the old wax melts off and any remaining dirt is flushed out. The best info on chain waxing can be found from Zero Friction Cycling. He is the best regarded for independent testing of different chain lubricants.
@@fernosan no, you dont have to clean the chain every time you re wax. just dump the chain in the molten wax. chains stay very clean when waxed, so the wax does not get contaminated quickly. you dont even have to clean a new chain of the grease they come with as always so tediously stated by 'experts' as paraffin is as good a solvent as anything, esp when at high temps. probably better in fact. and the grease wont change the wax properties and will be utterly insignificant by proportion. i really get sick of hearing ppl say a new chain has to be degreased before waxing. its so silly and shows ignorance of basic chemistry. not having to clean a new chain is actually another benefit of immersion waxing.
I must clean a new chain?! New chain feel looks different to me now. Thank you so much for the tip, got the rest right.
Question...do you clean/rinse the chain with water first? Then degrease, followed by lubrication?
Water is always bad for the chain except in ultrasonic cleaner
I bought a "durace" chain on AliExpress. The pins are solid, with no holes. Is this counterfeit, as I see on TH-cam channels?
How often should you lube it? Before every ride? Every couple rides?
I fully agree!
How often need to clean the chain? like avg Km?
1. Do not remove the thick oil on a new chain with degreaser, just use Weldtite TF2 or similiar on a rag and simply wipe off the outside of the chain.
2. Do not use strong degreaser on any part of your bike (if you need to do that, you've used the wrong kind of lubricant in the first place).
3. Do not remove the chain from your bike unless you intend to replace it (completely unnecessary, and just a waste of time).
4. Do not use degreaser as part of your regular maintenance, wash your bike with ordinary cleaning products like MucOff Bike Cleaner or similar.
5. It doesn't really matter how much oil you apply on the chain, as long as it's enough to lubricate the rollers (you'll be wiping off the excess anyway).
6. In reality, it's using the bike that causes chain wear, and not your maintenance routines (just replace chain when it's worn out, and think nothing more of it).
7. Don't listen to advice in videos on TH-cam where they are over-complicating things :-)
Cross your chain to open up the links as you add the evaporing carrier lube also, adding 'hair wrap' to the jockey wheels aids something apparently.
spend lots money on chain cleaners , might aswell buy a new chain
Depends on the chain.
Just today I had a guy come in to lube his chain - He wanted oil on the chain, cassette and chainrings. I think he thought I was crazy when I said first you need to clean the dirt off. Some bikes come in with a thick layer of something like chainsaw oil over the whole chain
I seem to either have oil dripping off mid ride, or I find the next day I didn’t put enough (or wiped off too much) and have small rust spots on the outside surfaces of the chain.
I use Silca Synergetic. It is fairly expensive, but it does an excellent job. Instead of marinating the links with it, and ending with most of it on the floor, I transfer it from its bottle to another one with a needle applicator. I apply two small drops, one on each side of a roller pin and all is good to go. After each ride I swipe the chain and the gears with a cloth. At the 300 Km mark, I re-apply. It lasts for ages and the drivetrain attracts no dirt.
I started using it a few months ago. The stuff lasts ages on the chain, even after cycling through torrential rain. Great stuff.
I use synerg-e for training and synergetic for racing. For me, I do around 500-600 km before reliving, so every week or so.
@@awakenedbahamut2574 I found that Synergetic lasts for about 300-400Km on the dry. It does not matter though. Applying it with a needle nose bottle will last for years. I wonder why Silca abandoned the initial needle nose bottle for the one that literally bathes the chain.
@@cauldron101 silca says they found that the needle applicator actually doesn't put enough lube on the chain and it works better with a bit more on there.
@@awakenedbahamut2574 Perhaps it was me adding more than I should with the new cap. Most of it was ending on the floor. I will test applying twice with the needle nose to see if it feels any different.
Interesting. I just learned to apply the Lube to each link on the inside. I've been doing top and bottom. Too much Lube. 😮 a good clean and Lube required.
Little secret: air tool oil is a light non-detergent oil that can be used for many purposes around the home & shop. It's super cheap if you buy at Harbor freight. 4oz. bottle just 99 cents. 16oz bottle 5 bucks. Been using it for years on everything from firearms to bicycles.
Can the Quicklink be reused, when I reinstall the chain?
What about acetone to remove factory lubrication?
If GCN was sponsored by a chain manufacturer instead of Silca, they would recommend getting a new chain when your chain gets dirty...
#askgcntech hey guys, I am addicted to all things GCN! I recently started immersion waxing on two of my bikes but I only get 50-70 miles until the chain sounds really dry again. This doesn’t seem right, but the only thing I can think is that the wax was too hot when I immersed it ? Does that sound about right? I started with new chains. Degreased them and then degreased them with the Silca degreaser before waxing. Cheers. Rob
Buy an oil applicator it actually makes oiling your chain fun. I think the one I got was for model trains. You can put a tiny bit of oil on each chain link easily with precision. Don’t use the live bottle.
Unscientific here. Is the smoother sound if a clean and lubed any indication of a chain on good condition? However unofficial.
Not fully. Sound dampening can happen with a thicker oil, even it becomes closer to a grinding fluid than a lubricant; this means you can't compare how different lube sounds to determine cleanliness.
However, if you only use one type of chain lube and ride in consistent environmental conditions, sound can be an effective way to check if your lubricant is still at peak efficiency or not.
I apply lube on the rollers while they are off the bike. Pull the chain around a wrench to engage the rollers and help the lube to get in there, then wipe the chain as dry as i could.
Because some chains are using Quicklink like mine, I remove them and soak it quickly with petrol then wash it with water and liquid soap.
Put it back and I lubricate it with Silicone spray.
Doing it for 4 years and my bike chains are still good and no rusts.
Waxing tips
1) While the addition of lubricative powders to wax may make little different to watts of efficiency, it may improve the life of the chain. I am not sure but my chaing has lasted 50,000 km. I use Molybdenum disulphide and PTFE powder which can be purchased from alixp cheaply.
2) I find that candle wax , i.e. candles from a dollar tree (100 yen shop) work fine. Others use bees wax / paraffin mixtures.
3) If you have a slow cooker (ideally) or other electrical cooker (I use an IH cooker and a steel bottomed pot) then you can heat wax outside, and avoid wax smells in the house. If you burn the wax it will make it more brittle and certainly changes the wax but I find that the wax is pretty tolerant of being simmered for a while. I.e. while slower cookers are recommended, I stopped using one for the time it took to melt the wax, and do not seem to have noticeable ill effect from overheating my wax.
4) There is no need to have wax anywhere that you can see but I find it does not hurt to put a lot of wax on the chain by letting the wax cool a little before hanging out to harden.
5) pull the chain off the back of the derailleur.
6) Since the wax is so cheap you can use it as a cleaner (perhaps changing your wax every now and again, once a year?) and just put the chain straight in wax. I only wash after rainy days because I find that a waxed chain picks up so little dirt on other days.
7) Some use an ultrasound cleaner but I use a whole body vibration machine to shake dirt out of my chain into detergent occasionally.
8) Since molten wax is a cleaner you can put a new chain straight in the wax and the grease will be cleaned off making little difference to the wax.
9) When the wax is molten is the only time it will make your hands dirty. One cooled you can hold the chain, or wear suit trousers on your road bike with little fear. Perhaps not white suit trousers.
10) Missing links are cheap but I still use my about 20 times. I carry a spare in my saddle bag because I have had an old missing link fall off. If you want to be safe, even a non KMC generic link should last 10 times but your mileage may vary.
11) I wax ever 200-300 km but again, it will depend on the chain, riding conditions, and how long you want your chain to last.
12) I put the front derailleur into the smaller chainring because it makes it easier to thread.
13) I use a knee pad to kneel next to my bike on the ground.
14) I thread onto the jockey wheels first, by poking in and turning each wheel in turn.
15) It is important to thread the chain on the inside of the little tap between the two jockey wheels. I may even remove it one day. Missing the tab is the only thing I have got wrong. I rode for a while making a noise before I realised so it is not such a big deal, imho.
18) Threading the chain through the front dérailleur is easier once the wax is hard.
19) It is easy to loose links on gravel or grass, if you do it in your garden/yard. When I thread up, I put the links in an old ash tray so I don't lose them on the ground.
20) It is good to have a cooker with a timer.
21) It is good to have another timer to tell you when the wax has cooled down for 5 or 10 minutes depending on the ambient temperature. Taking the chain out of the hot very-liquid wax may also be fine.
22) If you use two pairs of pliers, the X shaped quick link pliers to open the link by squeezing your hand, and a pair of two Vs joined at the apex for lengthening and closing the link by squeezing it is more convenient than using the pedal to close the link because you probably need one hand to keep the link sides together, and another to turn the pedal, and a third to stop the chain from dropping off the chainwheel. Ni self respecting mechanic would have any difficulty, but I am not a mechanic and like having both types of plyers. That said my X shaped plyers are just thin nosed pliers from a 100 yen shop that I have ground down a bit to make them thinner for removing the link by squeezing your hand, it makes it easier. Normal X shaped pliers need to be pulled apart to open the link, which is slightly more difficult.
23) Keep some spare bushings, the ring shaped bits between the chain plates, because you may lose one when removing or repkace misding links. Keep one bushing in your saddle bag. I have mine in a tiny pill box with a missing link and a presta to schrader valve converter.
This individual is trying to impress us with a lot of bullshit here
@@dickiesis4486 I don't know what bullshit is but the above is what I do and my chain won't wear out. If you were impressed, that would be nicer.
A question for those using Cyclon Bionet chain cleaner: I have the impression that since the color of the liquid is darker blue than before, it degreases wayyyyyy less. Anybody have the same impression? Or any suggestions for a different product?
A nice layer of grit provides a protective pattina...
Putting the chain in a ultrasonic degreasing bath worked wonders for me.
Is there another good household use for it? I'm not a fan of single-purpose appliances for every thing...
@@prophetzarquon All your componants. Also your vinyl records, tools, jewellery, false teeth...
@@russyJ20 If you can't afford ultrasound, a second hand whole body vibration machine will get the grits and dust out, and can be used for stretching, less so as exercise.
Johnson's Pledge spray?
Once upon a time our family would use kerosene to clean chains in a container. I think the bicycles, especially from England were very high quality steel. Before it was stolen by a drunk, I had Melvan Star bicycle with a 4 (or was it 5) speed Strumley- Archer gears. Following the advice of old timers, I looked after that bike by cleaning with water and a damp rag; applying kerosene to the frame and wheels; and wiping it off with an old towel. What is the modern mechanics take on all this?
Do I get it right? You first clean the chan with a degreaser to bare metal, next you wax it, and when it gets dirty over time you lube it? Somehow I feel I have got it not completely right...
EDIT: is lubing and waxing the same thing? You sometimes say lubing and sometimes you say waxing. Do you mean the same thing by saying these two? Thank you
@@paul7000 when he is saying lube, he is refering to oil. waxing is applying wax. both are lubricants.
I found the easiest to apply lube is to apply it on top of the cassette and backpedal. You can hold the bottle very stable to not wander around and thus avoid getting lube every where. It's fast as well, I do just 2 revolutions of the chain. Backpedal some time and wipe off. As for degreasing, I use regular white spirit. It's cheap and works very well. Just put some on a cloth and wipe the chain clean. I don't get people buying expensive degreasers (well, maybe for the environmental aspect).
Teflon lube.40 years no problems on Campy Record.Have a nice ride
Have you guys tested the silca synergetic wet lube?
indirect shot at muc off with the bright colours and shiny packaging?
That old clip of Si is fantastic 😂 I bet that if he had a bike with disc brakes, he would have applied some WD40 on there too. To get rid of the loud breaking noise 😂
The effects of WD-40 on a rubber brake pad are pretty abjectly terrible, too.
Why don't we need any lube on the outer plates? Doesn't the front derailleur contact the outer plates with every front gear change?
If you live somewhere that salts their roads a lot in winter I do recommend DROWING the chain in oil for those months. Even spraying some on the cassette is a good idea.
Unless you like all the face plates of your chain and your cassette to completely rust up in one winter
Luckily I live in a county with a corrupt council who barely grit the roads.
Well i am in the gifted spot to have 3 bikes. 1 MTB, 1 Road and one Trekking to and from Work. I clean the Chain on my MTB and Road after every ride. On my Trekking i usualy do it once every month. If you ride in the wet and or snow, do it more often tho.
Research shows that the best place to apply lube is at the TOP of the chain just after it leaves the rear cog (after putting the chain on the largest chainring at the front and the largest cog at the rear). At this location the chain links are experiencing their greatest sideways forces allowing for the best penetration of lube into the inner pins and rollers of the chain.
I use that liquid blue milky chain wax .. I like it...
😟
Since I started looking after my chain properly the first thing I noticed, they last twice as long! And I don't wax! Yet! I used to clean the chain with the rest of the bike with a pressure washer then give it a "really good" oiling! Now I spend time cleaning it and lubing it properly and yes I too lube each individual roller! 😂 In the long run it makes financial sense but I don't get awful chain noises or even, god forbid, clicking! I'm gonna try waxing on my summer road bike next year. I'm not sure about wax on Gravel & MTB, especially through the UK winter 🤔
Yep, I can confirm that when riding in wet and dirty conditions, the wax on the chain doesn't last very long. Sometimes just a little above 100 km, even with the hot wax method. If you don't have the chance to clean and dry it immediately after riding (like when bike packing and you have to store your bike outside while it's still raining), the chain will easily start to pick up rust. I still use it on my gravelbike, because cleaning your bike is so much easier. And it quickly becomes a habit after riding to look after your chain, which will only take you 2 minutes with a microfibre towel and some wet wax. Occasionally, you need to rewax with hot wax and don't forget to use reusable quick links. Sometimes you need to remove some buildup of wax between the smallest cogs, but it's nothing compared to the grime you get with oil.
@@lukasg6504 Hi lukas thanks for the info and tips! Most appreciated 👍